The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-02-08

The Negro Fiend and Rap:st
Ends Life mt q Horses
Feet.

I hdcy Jdu. Ol.-TOT the
! first time since the stormy days of 1866 has
! this community been startled by lynch
/ ing. The full particulars of the assault on
the l3-year-old adopted daughter OF +. 81.
Starnes, of Delaware township, last Thurs
day, by a colored brute named Rlchar !.
Wood, have been published. The girl is
| i'll, but will recover, and the iend ye terday
morning expiated his crime by lynch law.
Between the hours of and 3 o'clock yes
terday morning, Just after JSiler Fitzmau-
rice had retired, he was aroused by noise
of some one atten pting to break in The
door leading into the hallway of the Jail.
The jailer Immediately jumped from his
bed, and as the hallway was reached, four
or five men appeared on the scene, and
WITH REvoLvERs POINTED
at his head, demanded the keys to cells,
stating at the same time that they wanted
Richard Wood The officer refused to
give up his keys, and one of the party
fired at him, the ball passing so closely to
his neck as to infiIct severe burn from
the powder. The crowd seeing that Fitz-
maurice was determined to protect his
prisoner at the risk of his life, a party of
four or FIVE made a rush for him aud over
towering him, took the keys from him
and while party was detailed to keep
watch over him another party of the crowd
unlocked the door leading into the cell
room and
TOOK RICHARD WOOD OUT.
While the party entered the cells to
secure the man they wanted, a COMMITTEES
of four stationed at the door of the cell
room, with instructions to allow no other
prisoner to pass out, the sheriff, Who occu-
pies the north wing of the Jail, was
aroused and came onto the scene and
suggested to the jailor that the police
quarters be telePhoned for help. The bell
was rung, but before response COULD be
received blow from one of the party with
a club, knocked the instrument from its
moorings and
ALL CONNECTIONS WERE CUT OFF,
leaving thr sheriff and TAILOR in the hands
of an Infatuated mob. Once the cell room
had been reached it was an easy matter to
secure the man for whom they were search
ing, and within five minutes after the attack
had been made Wood was in the hands of
mob. After securing their man, the party
locked the cell door and returned the keys
to Fitzmaurice, leaving guard of armed
men to see that no report of the affair was
sent to police headquarters until the party
had started out and were at safe distance
from the Jail.
WHEN THEY ENTERED THE CELL
in which Wood was confined, he was found
lying In his CO; with his clothing on, and
il was only a matter of few moments nm.
til he was In the hands of the mob. He
fought desperately, and his screams could
have been heard for blocks, but the four
powerful men, who had been appointed
to secure the game, picked him up
and carried him from the cell. After the
outside had been reached, a rope was
placed around Woods neck, and one end
of it tied u the horn of the saddle of one
of the party, and with yell the crowd
started their steeds at full speed.
FOR THE FIRST FEW FEET
Wood made a run, but the speed of the
horse to which he was tied was too great
for him, and he fell to the ground, and
until life was extinct. After the crowd, |
who had Wood in charge, had gotten
safe distSnce from the Jail, the posse left to |
guard the building, mounted their horses
and rode after the party at a rapid rate. |
The route taken by the crowd with their !
victim, was south on Third street to Arch, |
NntEe tHcy luEucu west anu cOukluucu /
until Second street was reached, when an
other turn south was made until Prospect |
street was reached and they |
proceeded west again. Between |
Third and Fourth avenue a halt was made, |
and life being extinct, the crowd stopped |
and left their victim in the middle of the
street in . nude condition and then dissp-
peared.
THE BODY OF THE VICTIM
was found at the place mentioned this
and but for the facs that the ac-
ton of the mob early in the morning had
been made known, it would have been inn
possible to recognize him. All along the
track followed by the party could be found
fragments of the clothing that had once
adorned the victim, and the appearance of
the body was horrifying, the face and
head was cut and bruised beyond recogai-
lion, the flesh from the body was almost
torn off and sickening sight was present
ed to the spectators who visited the spot
where lay the victim.